Have you ever heard of cynicism? Do you know that in ancient times cynicism was a very important philosophical current? Do you know cynical people? Today we try to tell you what cynicism is, answering all the previous questions and going back to its origins.
Cynicism is a term that refers to a way of seeing the world around us, especially referring to the society in which the individual is immersed. And since we are part of that society, it is important to know what is meant by a cynical person, what their characteristics are, and, if we have to deal with them, how to deal with them. Therefore, in this Psychology-Online article you will find the definition, characteristics and how to deal with cynical people.
Definition of cynical people
To know the characteristics of cynical people, it is first necessary to know what the term refers to. cynicism.
What is cynicism?
The term cynicism was coined as a result of a philosophical current that emerged in the 4th century BC. These philosophers defended that the relationship with nature was fundamental, hence the terms cynic and cynicism come from the Greek root kyon, which translates as dog or dog. Thinkers as important as Aristotle, the founder of the school, and Diogenes, followed this trend.
However, the current term cynic, used colloquially, does not refer to that philosophical current, since little remains of its main ideas in that term. On the contrary, refers to a person who distrusts the actions of othersquestioning their motives and reasons, always thinking that they are not disinterested and that they pursue a goal, usually selfish.
According to the definition of the RAE, being cynical implies act falsely and shamelessly shameless Therefore, currently, saying that someone is cynical usually implies a negative denotation towards that person, and is neither a compliment nor a very objective term. Furthermore, it implies a distrust of the cynic towards others, generating a feeling of frustration towards human goodness.
Characteristics of cynical people
Perhaps, as the main trait of cynical people, one could highlight a high level of distrust towards others. This distrust is what makes them feel that other people are being dishonest, also fearing the intentions that others may have, so it is not unusual for them to always be on the defensive.
The curious thing is that too many people who distrust others are the first to be not very honestresorting to fallacies and lies for practically everything. It is very typical of cynics to lie when arguing or dialoguing with someone, all for the sake of be rightin addition to somehow belittling other people’s arguments.
Furthermore, its marking stands out egocentric trait, considering their ideas above, believing they have more capabilities and knowledge and undervaluing those of others. This usually implies that they always do everything for their benefit, being ungenerous or cooperative. In the following article you will find the.
They also usually present a pessimistic view of societybelieving that there is no remedy for the bad intentions they see in everyone and how harmful everyone is to them.
It should be noted that all these characteristics are generalities, that they occur in different degrees and that some cynical people may only present some of them, not all of them at the same time. That is why each particular case is a separate world that must be considered separately.
How to deal with cynical people
Given the characteristics of a cynical person, they are usually not very easy to deal with. It is very common that when doing so it feels like you have to try to convince them of the truthfulness of what you say and the good faith of your actions at all times. This is really exhausting, requiring a lot of patience and a good hand to deal with them without despair.
Some general advice on dealing with cynical people are:
- Avoid discussions and open debates: In these cases is when a cynical person becomes more defensive, since everything that does not coincide with their own vision will be seen by them as a direct attack on their own person. In this way, criticism and possible provocations must be ignored, being prudent and remaining calm. To do this, you can learn assertiveness. Here you will find .
- Promote optimism, avoiding pessimism: These people tend to be , leading them to have an agitated and negative mood constantly. It is important not to let yourself be dragged into negativity, avoiding feeling sorry for yourself and trying to bring a positive point to the situation. Here you can see.
- Try to understand the reason for this cynicism: Cynicism is not usually something that appears out of nowhere, it is usually linked to bad experiences or past traumas. These are what generate this deep distrust and disenchantment towards society. However, like all past traumas, they can be treated, with cynicism being something that can disappear if appropriate measures are taken, resorting to professional help for this. Seeing that a person behaves in a specific way due to the experiences he has lived helps in understanding the behavior and compassion towards his staff.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cynical people: definition, characteristics and how to deal with themwe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Guastello, Stephen & Rieke, Mark & Guastello, Denise & Billings, Steven. (2012). TO
- Study of Cynicism, Personality, and Work Values. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 126. 37-48. 10.1080/00223980.1992.10543339.
- Livni, E. (2018). Cynicism isn’t as smart as we think it is. Retrieved November 25, 2019, from https://qz.com/1329802/cynicism-isnt-as-smart-as-we-think-it-is/
- RAE – ASALE. (2019, November 25). cynical, cynical | Spanish dictionary.